Track-to-tie connector for railways



Oct. 28, 1958 t A. D. FAIRCHOK TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1954 In=1 E INVENTOR amd/mw 53.,5940005041, dzrfi A M ATTO EY I Oct. 28, 1958 A. D. FAIRCHOK 8TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS Filed Aug. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2T IIEr- 7 I*1r:= 8

49 i L20 27 2a /a 9 -5 v\\\\ 1N VENTOR Tail]. BY dig Get. 28, 1958 A. D.FAIRCHOK TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 FiledAug. 16, 1954 m f/b s m c We Trar I ii Fig. 8 is a vertical sectionalview and showing the rail mounted therein;

United States Patent Ofiice 2,858,078 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 2,858,078TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS Andrew D. Fairchok, Richmond, Va.Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,074 1 Claim. (Cl. 238-288)My invention relates broadly to railway systems and more particularly toa construction of track-to-tie connector which eliminates conventionalspikes which are customarily driven into the railway tie.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction oftrack-to-tie connector for railways by which a track system may berapidly installed without the necessity of the driving of spikes intothe ties, and the rail system. rapidly removed for re-installation atanother location.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction oftrack-to-tie connector in which the tie is recessed tojreceive andsupport the rail connector where the connector is bolted to the recessedtie, and where the rail is fastened by a clamp into the connector.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction oftrack-to-tie connector for railways in which the connector forms a capwhich straddles the tie and is fastened to the tie in such manner thatthe load over the tie is distributed at the same time that a seat isprovided for a rail without the necessity of driving spikes into thetie.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a track-to-tieconnector for rails in which the connector forms an upwardly projectingcradle extending longi tudinally for supporting a rail and an integraldownwardly projecting cap extending substantially transversely or normalto the direction of the cradle for straddling the rail tie and forming afastening means therewith.

A- still further object of my invention is to provide a track-to-tieconnector particularly suitable for fastening the curved track bedsections of rails to a tie.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the production of atrack-to-tie connector which reduces time necessary for installing ordismantling a track systerm as set forth more fully in the specificationhereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig, 1 is a front elevational view of a railway tie con- "structed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the railway tie shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the parts of the track-to-tieconnector in juxtaposed position to the tie; Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview showing the rails connected with the tie by means of the trackto-tie connector of my invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through a railillustrating more clearly the manner of supporting the rail with respectto the tie, utilizing the track-to-tie connector of my invention andshowing the cradle in end elevation;

through the cradle Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken line 9-9 ofFig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 10-10of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 11-- 11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the fastening plate which fastens therails to the cradle;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the cradle which supports the rail inposition and which receives the fastening plate of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the application of my invention toa curved rail system;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a curved railfastened in the manner shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 shows a cradle of curved contour as used in the form of myinvention shown in Figs. 14-15; and

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the fastening plate used in the form ofmy invention shown in Figs. 14 l6.

My invention'is directed to a construction of track-totie connector forrailways which may be quickly installed or dismantled for putting intooperation a railway system or removing the system to some otherlocation. In this application of my invention the track-to-tie connectoris particularly effective in meeting military requirements where a railsystem must be quickly installed and removed as part of a militaryoperation. However, the basic application of my invention resides in theinstallasubstantially on tion of railway systems which require theminimum expenditure of labor and time for installation and substantiallyprotects the system against sabotage in that no spikes are used infastening the rails to the ties. The time necessary for driving suchspikes is saved and the relative ease of endangering the rail system byremoval of such spikes is blocked.

I provide a special form of tie which is provided with transverselydisposed recesses along the top thereof adjacent opposite ends toreceive a saddle. The saddle is constituted by a plate having adownwardly depending portion with a transversely extending grippingportion therein engaging the recess in the tie and an upwardly extendingportion having a longitudinally extending part disposed on an axisnormal to the axis of the downwardly extending tie-gripping portion. Theupwardly extending longitudinally disposed portion of the plate isshaped to receive and grip the flange of a rail. The said upwardlyextending portion includes a removable fastening plate detachablyengageable with the said upwardly extending portion for clamping oneflange of the rail in position where the attachable plate is securedthrough fastening bolts. These fastening bolts, and also the bolt whichattaches the saddle to the tie, are provided with special lockingarrangements which render the dismantling of the rail system throughsabotage time-consuming and impracticable.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference character 1, in Fig.l, designates a rail tie having transverse slots formed therein adjacentopposite ends as designated at 2 and 3, and 2a and 3a. These slotsconsist of transverse mortises in the top of the rail tie, symmetricallydisposed with reference to opposite ends of the rail tie. symmetricallydisposed between the slots 23 and 211-312, I provide holes 4 and 5located just below the center of a horizontal axis through the rail tieand serve as a means for receiving fastening bolts 6 and 7 which extendthrough pairs of depending flanges 8 and 9 integral with connector plate10 and flanges 11 and 12 of the downwardly extending portion ofconnector plate 14. The flanges 8 and 9 of connector plate 10 andflanges 11 and 12 of connector plate 14 form. downwardly dependingcradles which extend transversely of the connector plates longitudinallydisposed as compared to the rail 19".

upwardly extending cradles formed by plates and 14. The lower surfacesof connector plates 10 and 14 are provided with downwardly extendinglineal projections 28 and 29v and 28' and 29 which extend into slots 2and 3 and 2a and 3a, respectively, for keying the cradles to the railtie. The flanges 8 and 9 are each apertured at 8a and 9a in line withthe hole 4 through the tie so that when the connector plate it; ispositioned over the rail tie, enabling the flanges 8 and 9 to embraceopposite sides of the rail tie, the bolt 6 may be passed through thelocking strap 6a, the washer 6b, the aperture 8a, hole 4, throughaperture 9a, through Washer 60, and fastened by means of cotter pins 6d.

The connector plates 10 and 14 each have upwardly extending portionsdisposed on axes which are normal to the planes of the downwardlyextending portions 8-9 and 1112. These upwardly extending portions ofthe connector plates serve as seats for securing the flanges of therails. In Fig. 7, for example, I have designated the rail at 19 havingoppositely directed flanges 20 and 21. The flange 263 is insertedbeneath the upwardly and inwardly projecting lip 22 of the upwardlyextending portion of the connector plate. The opposite flange 21 of therail is engaged by a detachable plate 23 which is secured to theconnector plate 10 by means of bolts 24 which engage screw threadedapertures 25 in connector plate lit. The detachable plate 23 is shapedto clamp flange 21 against connector plate 10 and to abut against anupwardly projecting ledge 26 formed on connector plate 10. The fasteningmeans for the rail is identical in each of the connector platestructures with the exception of the fact that the connector plate 14 isreversed in position with respect to connector plate 10, and forpurposes of simplification I have indicated in Fig. 6 the fasteningbolts at 24, and in Fig. 5 the screw threaded apertures at 235', and thedetachable plate at 23', corresponding to the parts described inassociation with connector plate 14. The fastening bolts 24 and 24 areeach headed and are locked in position by locking straps 2'7 and 27'.The reversal in position of connector plate 14, with respect toconnector plate 10, results in the locating of the detachable plates 23and 23 in positions inside the rails 19 and 19', giving an addedsecurity to the rail system against sabotage, in that a more congestedor more confined operating space is available between the rails thanoutside the rails, This is not a hindrance however to the properinstallation and removal of the rail system when using intended toolsfor removing the locking straps.

In Figs. 14-17, I have shown a structure of a track-tor tie connectorfor application to a curved track section. In Fig. 14 I have shown arail tie 1' which is slotted on the top surface thereof adjacentopposite ends in a manner similar to the structure illustrated in Figs.113, but where the slots are slightly curved as represented at 2 and 3and 3a and 2a. These slightly curved slots receive downwardly extendingprojections 28 and 29" on the connector plate it), as shown in Figs. 14and 16, for keying the cradles to the rail tie 1. The cradles areconstructed as heretofore explained in connection with the form of myinvention shown in Figs. 1-13, except for the curvature provided in thedownwardly extended projections 28 and 29 and 28 and 29, and thecurvature imparted to the upwardly and inwardly projecting lips 22 forgripping the left hand flange 20 of curved rail 19"; and also theupwardly projecting ledge 26" and the detachable clamping plate 23". Thedetachable clamping plate 23" engages the right hand flange 21 of curvedFastening bolts 24" secured by locking straps 27" maintain thedetachable clamping plate 23 with respect to the connector plate 10. Theright hand rail 19' is secured to rail tie 1' in a manner similar to thefastening arrangement heretofore described except that the locking ofthe coacting parts is reversed and rail 19 has the right hand flange 21"thereof engaged beneath the upwardly and inwardly projecting lip 22",while the left hand flange 20 is clamped by the detachable plate 23secured against the upwardly projecting edge 26" by bolts 24", eachsecured by locking straps 27. Thus it will be seen that the parts of thecradle are all curved to meet the conditions of the curvature of therails 19" and 19". The cradles are fastened to the rail tie 1' in thesame manner as described in connection with the form of my inventionillustrated in Figs. 1-13 by means of headed bolts 6" and 6 secured bylocking straps 6a and 6a. The means for fastening the curved rails tothe rail tie may be applied with the same rapidity as such means areapplied to the straight rail system shown in Figs. 113, and thedisassembling is possible when the proper tools are available withcorresponding conservation of time and labor.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, Irealize that modifications may be made, and I desire that it beunderstood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other thanmay be imposed by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

A track-to-tie connector for railways comprising in combination, a railtie having pairs of spaced curved preformed slots rectangular in crosssection adjacent opposite ends thereof and formed on substantiallycommon centers in the top surface of the rail tie, tie plate memberseach forming a central seat for a rail and having depending curvedperipheral projections at the limits of the opposite sides thereofshaped to snugly fit said slots in the rail tie for keying the tie platemembers thereto, an upwardly projecting and inwardly curved peripherallip integrally connected with each of said tie plate mem bers, said lipsbeing formed on the exterior portions of oppositely located tie platemembers and extending over a portion of the seat in said tie platemembers for engaging the exterior curved flange of a curved rail havingthe vertical web thereof disposed on an axis normal to the plane of thetop surface of the seat in said tie plate members, an upwardly andinwardly curved projecting peripheral ledge formed on each of theadjacent interior portions of said tie plate members, and aligned withthe depending curved projection thereon, curved detachable rail holdingplates each having one portion thereof abutting with the interior of theperipheral ledges of said tie plate members and another portion thereofextending over and engaging the top surface of the interior flange ofthe curved rail for fastening the rail to the associated tie platemember, securing means passing through the curved detachable plates andentering said rail tie plate members for clamping said curved detachedplates over the top surface of the interior flange of the curved railand against said upwardly extending curved projecting ledges asabutments, integrally connected depending plates on opposite ends ofsaid tie plate members embracing opposite sides of the rail tie, andmeans extending through said end plates in alignment with the web of thecurved rail when located in the seat formed in each of said tie platemembers for securing the tie plate members to the rail tie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS361,199 Adams Apr. 12, 1887 893,962 West July 21, 1908 1,055,218Petersen Mar. 4,'1913 1,073,773 McGonigal Sept. 23, 1913 1,174,085 Moiret al. Mar. 7, 1916 1,230,533 Stiles June 19, 1917 1,482,676 Cullen Feb.5, 1924 1,577,830 Kruttschnitt Mar. 23, 1926 1,862,520 Fairies June 14,1932

